Common orthodontic problems

Teeth with an overbite, often called “buck teeth” are the most common orthodontic issue. If left untreated, this can cause excessive wear on your lower teeth and gums, as well as breathing issues or difficulty chewing.

This is called a deep bite and can cause gum issues. Later in life, people with a deep bite are more at risk for tooth loss and bone loss in their jaw.

This is called an underbite. When left untreated, underbites often cause tooth decay, difficulty chewing or speaking, sleep issues, headaches, and jaw pain.

If you can stick your tongue through your teeth when your mouth is closed, you have an open bite. This issue is most common in children, particularly children who suck their thumb or use a pacifier after their teeth begin to grow.

Open bites can cause speech and breathing problems, difficulty chewing and swallowing, and tooth decay or gum loss later in life.

If your teeth overlap or some teeth are still high up in your gums, you have a case of crowding. Crowding can cause tooth decay, a greater risk of gingivitis, and mouth pain.

On the other hand, teeth with gaps between them have an issue with spacing. Gaps like this are often cosmetic, but occasionally can cause issues with eating or higher risk of tooth loss with age.

The line between your top and bottom middle teeth should match up, and both should line up with the bridge of your nose. If they don’t, you likely have some crowding or a crooked bite.

Crooked bites can increase your risk of tooth breakage, gingivitis, and tooth or gum loss later in life.

If your upper back teeth fit inside your lower back teeth, rather than outside, you have a crossbite. Crossbites can cause increased tooth and gum decay, breathing, speech or sleeping difficulties, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, and tooth or jaw pain.

If you bite your cheek or have sores on the roof of your mouth and can’t figure out why, it may be your teeth. Misaligned bites or crowded teeth can cause your mouth to be injured due to the friction.

Regular clicking or popping in jaws is often an indication that something is wrong with your bite or the alignment of your teeth. The sounds are usually accompanied by pain in the jaw, headaches, or difficulty eating, breathing, or speaking.

If you didn’t see anything else on this list, but you have difficulty or pain while chewing, come and see us. We can help you diagnose and treat the cause of the issue.